Means fob mounting gyros



June 24, 1941. F LAUCK 2,246,738

' MEANS FOR MOUNTING GYROS Filed April 19, 1939 INVENTOR. Wok W BYATTORNEY.

Patented June 24, 1941 MEANS FOR MOUNTING Graos Friedrich Lauck,Lubeck-Travemunde, Germany, assignor to Siemens Apparate und MaschinenGesellschaft mit beschritnkter Haftung, Berlin, Germany, a corporationof Germany Application April 19, 1939, Serial No. 268,842

. In Germany April 14, 1938 4 Claims.

This invention relates to gyros, and more particularly to means formounting gyros.

In connection with gyro apparatus suspended in a mounting providing oneor more degrees of freedom, one of which is about a vertical axis,diliiculties have heretofore been encountered in satisfactorilyabsorbing vibrations occurring in the direction of said vertical axis.Inasmuch as the gyro is widely used for navigation andcontrolpurposesupon moving platforms or vehicles such as aircraft, it issubject to axial vibrations caused by rapid changes of attitude of the.vehicle. The gyro is subject to additional axial vibrations caused bythe gyro rotor which may oscillate when rotating at its normally highangular velocities. The above-mentioned difficulties are particularlyannoying in connection with the .mounting of gyro devices in aircraft. Arigid or unyielding mounting can easily result in damage to, and undercertain circumstances in the destruction of, the apparatus. A One of theobjects of the present invention is to provide novel means forsupporting the weight and absorbing oscillations of a gyro apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means of the abovecharacter for absorbin oscillations in an axial direction of a verticalshaft of a gyro mounting. r

A further object is to provide a gyro arrangement embodying novelyielding bearing means for a vertical shaft thereof.

An additional object is to provide a novel and inexpensive means forenabling a rapid positioning of a portion of the gyro apparatus upon agimbal frame. V

The above and further objects and novel features will more fully appearwhen e same are read in connectionwith the accompanying draw-' in. It isto be expresslyunderstood, however, that the drawingjs for purposes'ofillustrationonly and is not intended as a definition of the limits ofthe invention, reference for this latter purpose being had to theappended claims.

In the drawing, wherein like reference characters refer to like partsthroughout the several views,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view partly insection and with parts brokenawayillustrating one embodiment of the invention;

Fig, 2 is a perspective view partly in section illustrating a secondembodiment of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view, partly in section,

showing a third embodiment of the invention;

and,

tion.

The forms of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing, byway of example, comprise means for yieldingly supporting the weight of agyro rotor suspended in a mounting having one or more degrees of freedomand having a vertical shaft which is adapted for resting upon saidmeans. Suitable damping means are provided for quickly and smoothlyarresting any oscillations of said'shaft which occur in an axialdirection. In order to facilitate mounting a pref-' erablyfreelysuspended gyro in a vertical gimbalframe, a bearing perforation in theframe is provided which is in communication with a slotin the framewhich reaches to an edge thereof. In the form shown in Fig. 1, the novelresilient mounting is employed in combination with an azimuth gyro fornavigation and control purposes of vehicles such as aircraft. A gyrorotor (not shown) is mounted with the axis of rotation thereofhorizontal, in a housing l0 having trunnions I I which are rotatablysupported in bear ings l2 and l2a in a gimbal frame l3, the latterhaving vertical trunnions l4, l5. Y

As above mentioned, in or'dert-o absorb resiliently the axial vibrationsor oscillations of apparatus of this character having a verticalsupporting shaft, novel means are provided therefor comprising intheembodiment of Fig. 1 a yieldattached to a base plate l'l. Surroundingthe member 16 is a cap element l8 having 'a chamher I! therein for thedome member, and also having a vertical central sleeve l8a through whichthe shaft or lower vertical trunnion l4 extends. A ball race for acollar bearing is provided in said-sleeve for balls 20 which maintainthe trunnion II in a central position therein above a ball 2|, thelatter being interposed between the dome member l6 and the lower face ofthe trunnion in order to reduce the friction which ordinarily wouldexist therebetween. The lower face of said trunnion is preferably convexand of case hardened metal.

The dome member I5 is preferablyphol'low and filled with air whichprovides an air cushion for the apparatus. In order to provide suitabledamping means for the above explained axial vibrations, means forregulating the cushioning eifect of the yielding member are providedcomprising an aperture 22 therein.

The upper vertical trunnion l5 of the gimbal frame is arranged in anaxially displaceable manner by means of a collar bearing 23 which isaxially movable within a sleeve 24. The collar bearing is preferably aball bearing and is normally supported at the central margin thereof bya sleeve 25 which closely surrounds-trunnion l5. An inwardly extendingflange 24a prevents the bearing from dropping out of the sleeve 24, forexample, in the event that a part of the housing, for example an upperplate 26, is lifted. Said sleeve rests in a perforation in the upperplate upon a flange 24b integral with the sleeve. To facilitate theinstallation of the gyro in the gimbal frame, there is provided inaccordance with the invention, a slotted bearing perforation 21 whichenables the rapid placing of the trunnions II intheir bearings, one ofsaid trunnions being placed in the hearing I 2a, opposite the slottedperforation, and the other trunnion being moved through a slot 21a inthe gimbal frame into its proper position at which time the bearing I2is inserted in the perforation, thus surrounding the shaft and providinga support therefor.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a footstep bearing only isillustrated, the remainder of the apparatus being identical with that ofthe first embodiment. Further, the footstep bearings of Figs. 2 and 3are similar to that of Fig. 1 with the exception of the resilient memberwhich absorbs the axial vibrations of trunnion I 4, and

upon which the weight of the gyro apparatus rests. The resilient memberof Fig. 2 comprises a saddle spring 28 which may be constituted by oneor more laminations, the latter being combined to form an arch at thecentral portion thereof, the extremities slidably engaging the baseportion I1.

caused by oscillations thereof when the apparatus is supported byvertical trunnions. The means are further effective to dampen andyieldingly absorb said vibrations.

Although only four embodiments of the present invention have beenillustrated and described in detail, it is to be expressly understoodthat the same is not limited thereto; for example, the verticaltrunnions which are supported in the novel manner above described maycomprise the trunnions of a gyro rotor. The gyro rotor may have one ormore degrees of freedom. Thus, the gyro may be employed as a gyrohorizon, or as bank or turn indicator. For damping the oscillationsoccurring in the direction of the vertical axis, there may be provideddamping means different from those described, for example, hydraulic,pneumatic, electric or frictional damping means may be employed.Further, the ball 2| which is The resilient member of the embodiment ofFig. 3 comprises a spring tube 29, i. e. a spring constituted by ahelix, the turns of which have a face substantially parallel to the.axis of the spring, which face is of greater height than the thicknessthereof, measured radially. The coils or turns of the spring tube arepreferably in close engagement in order to form an air chamber withinthe tube. The upper and lower extremities of the tube are sealed bysuitable means (not shown).

In the embodiment of Fig. 4, instead of a resilient footstep bearing anovel resiilent upper collar bearing is provided. Only the latterbearing is illustrated, theremainder of the apparatus being similar tothat of Fig. 1 with the exception that a footstep bearing is notemployed but instead only a lower collar bearing which permits freeaxial displacement thereof. The novel resilient collar bearing comprisesa counterspring 30 which surrounds the trunnion I 5 and which isinterposed between an adjustable nut 3|, which is axially displaceableupon a threaded upper portion of the trunnion, and a suitable thrustbearing 32. The latter rests upon the above mentioned upper collarbearing 23. By adjusting the axial position of the nutv 3|, the tensionofthe spring 30 can be regulated as' desired. In order to damposcillations in the apparatus, the spring is preferably subjected to astrong magnetic field of a magnet 33, for example, an electro-magnet,which may be arranged above the spring whereby the axis of the trunnionand of the field substantially coincide.

There is thus provided novel means for avoiding damaging effects upon agyro apparatus normally interposed between trunnion I4 and the resilientmember may be eliminated. Various changes in the design and arrangementsof the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention as the same will now be understood by those skilled in theart. For a definition of the limits of the invention, reference will behad primarily to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

'1. In combination, a gyro gimbal trunnion, a cap member having an uppersleeve portion formed integrally therewith and a chamber defined by itsbase portion communicating with the sleeve portion, means defining aresilient bearing member mounted and confined within the chamber definedby the base portion of said cap member, a ball bearing resting on saidresilient bearing member, said trunnion being received by ,said sleeveportion and resting upon said ball bearing whereby axial movements ofsaid trunnion are transferred to and imparted by said ball bearing tosaid resilient bearing'member to be absorbed by the latter bearing, andbearing means carried by said sleeve portion for engaging said trunnionand maintaining the latter in a vertical position.

2. In combination, a gyro gimbal ring trunnion, a cap member having anupper sleeve portion formed integrally therewith and a chamber definedby its base portion, said cap member being further provided with anannular passage joining the interior of said sleeve portion and thechamber defined by the base portion of said cap member, means defining ayielding footstep bearing mounted and confined within the chamber, aball bearing resting upon said footstep bearing, said trunnion passingthrough saidsleeve portion and annular passage for normally contactingsaid ball bearing whereby axial movements of said trunnion are absorbedby said yielding footstep bearing, and further ball bearings carried bysaid sleeve portion for contacting said trunnion and maintaining thelatter in a vertical position.

3. In combination, a gyro gimbal ring trunnion, a cap member having anupper sleeve portion formed integrally therewith and a chamber definedby its base portion, said cap member being further provided-with anannular passage joining the interior of the sleeve portionv and thechamber defined by the base portion of said cap member, a yieldingfootstep bearing defining a closed hollow chamber having fluid thereinmounted in the chamber defined by the base portion of said cap member, aball bearing resting on said 'footstep bearing, said trunnion passingthrough-said sleeve portion and annular passage to normally contact saidball bearing whereby axial movements of said trunnion are absorbed bysaid yielding iootstep bearing, bearing means mounted in said sleeveportion for engaging said trunnion and maintaining the latter in avertical position, and means formed. with said iootstep bearing torrestricting fluid flowirom the closed ihollow chamber of said iootstepbearing during axial displacement or said trunnion.

4. In combination, a gyro gimbal ring trunnion, a cap member having anupper sleeve portion formed integrally therewith and a chamber definedby its base portion, saidcap member being further provided with anannular passage joining the interior oi the sleeve portion and 10 bysaid yielding footstep bearing, other bearing means mounted in saidsleeve portionfor engaging said trunnion and maintaining the latter in avertical position, and means restricting fluid iiow from the closedhollow chamber of said footstep bearing during axial displacement ofsaid trunnion.

FRIEDRICH LAUCK.

